The STOBBE Condensation with Dimethyl Homophthalate. Part I

The condensation of methyl 2-thienyl, methyl 2-furyl, and phenyl 2-thienyl ketone with dimethyl homophthalate in the presence of either potassium t-butoxide or sodium hydride as condensing agent, gave predominantly the (z)-half esters

1 The nomenclature of cis/trans isomers follows the IUPAC Tentative rules, Section E, Fundamental Stereochemistry, J. org. Chemistry 35 , 2849 (1970). See also N. R. El-Rayyes, J. prakt. Chem. 315 (2), 300 (1973). (E) = trans-(Heterocyclic ring/CO₂CH₃) (Z) = cis-(Heterocyclic ring/CO₂CH₃)

. The structure and configuration of the products were inferred by chemical and spectroscopic means.